A crossover story with a difference

Scratch the surface and one finds that there is more to Imran Shahzad than being the token Pakistani presence at the Asian Billiards Champio...

Scratch the surface and one finds that there is more to Imran Shahzad than being the token Pakistani presence at the Asian Billiards Championship here. His story isn8217;t just about the sports bring India and Pakistan together but one of true grit and determination.

It has been a long hard journey for the son of a florist father 8212; with humble resources and six children 8212; who went on become Pakistan8217;s national billiards champion.

When he was just 17, Shahzad gave up studies to take care of his father who had a paralytic stroke. 8216;8216;I was his walking stick and also his voice,8217;8217; recalls the 29-year-old. But despite this responsibility on his young shoulders, Shahzad found time to catch up with his brother who was a state level billiards player. 8216;8216;My brother Aqueel used to represent Punjab. Once he lost to a mediocre player and I vowed that I will avenge his defeat,8217;8217; he says. He kept his vow in the years to come.

There were more obstacles on the way for Shahbaz. The family business hit a low and his elder brother Saaqib too had reservation about him taking up a sport that wasn8217;t exactly financially rewarding in Pakistan.

But Shahbaz had a point to prove. He worked hard on his game but still time was a constraint. To overcome this he hit upon a plan. 8216;8216;I got the duplicate key made to open the billiards room at a local club and practised in the wee hours,8217;8217; he says. But in the same breadth he adds, 8216;8216;it was only after I had helped my father through his morning players.8217;8217;

Recalling those early morning sessions he says, 8216;8216;it used to be very dark inside but that still I managed.8217;8217; All those countless hours on table helped as he reached the final of regional tournament which was telecast live. Shahbaz was in the spotlight. The Lahore-based cueist is on a mission here as he can rub shoulders with his idols. 8216;8216;I will learn a lot here,8217;8217; he says after his 1-3 loss to former world champion Ashok Shandilya. A die hard Geet Sethi-fan Shahzad calls him the 8216;8216;badshah of billiards8217;8217;.

Other Indians who have made a big impression on Shahbaz happen to be from the Indian film industry. 8216;8216;Amitabh Bachhan and Shahrukh Khan are my favourites. Sharaabi and Sholay I have a number of times,8217;8217; he says with a smile.